Hot Topics:

Farmington takes another step toward creating a marketing brand

Community can vote on brands at Farmington Convention and Visitors Bureau

By Erny Zah The Daily Times

Updated:
06/29/2014 06:26:27 PM MDT

Cal Curley chooses branding phrases for the city of Farmington on Thursday during a branding presentation at Courtyard by Marriott in Farmington. The Farmington Convention and Visitors Bureau is looking for community input to select the city's new brand. (Jon Austria — The Daily Times)

James Glover, with The Idea Group of Santa Fe, speaks Thursday at Courtyard by Marriott in Farmington. The company has a contract with the Farmington Convention and Visitors Bureau to help the city choose its new branding. (Jon Austria — The Daily Times)

FARMINGTON — The Farmington Convention and Visitors Bureau is one step closer to branding the city of Farmington for marketing purposes.

During a presentation Thursday morning, The Idea Group of Santa Fe presented options the bureau will now narrow down to find a brand that will draw tourists, visitors and businesses to the city.

The process started about three months ago when the bureau launched an online survey questioning residents on their thoughts about the city and its surroundings.

James Grover, one of the presenters, said Farmington residents needed to define "this is who we are." During the one-hour presentation, he outlined information his group gained from 500 online surveys, five focus groups and 20 hours of meetings.

He presented four poster boards. Each outlined a small section of information stated in the surveys and groups, such as Farmington is a good place to raise a family. There were also areas for personality, physical attributes and slogans.

The more than 90 people who attended the presentation were then asked to place green dot stickers over the attributes and slogans they thought matched Farmington.

Tonya Stinson, executive director for the bureau, said it is important the city's residents have a hand in creating the new brand.

One of the challenges in creating a brand for Farmington is the diversity of the community and the variety of activities for visitors, Grover said. Farmington has national parks, biking trails, three different rivers, Native American cultural sites and shopping, he said.

Advertisement

Larry Johnson, who owns Soaring Eagle Lodge, said the San Juan River offers world-class fishing, and the river can be used for tubing and kayaking, in addition to being a destination for hunters.

"From the Navajo Nation to San Juan County to areas near Cuba, this is a sportsman's paradise," he said.

Stinson said the bureau's contract with The Idea Group is for $15,000, plus expenses including travel.

Community members listen on Thursday during a branding presentation for Farmington at Courtyard by Marriott in Farmington. (Jon Austria — The Daily Times)

She said the posters presented on Thursday will be displayed in the Farmington Convention and Visitors Bureau, 3041 E. Main St., for about two weeks.

During that time, Stinson invites the public to come in and vote for the branding they like best. Stinson said she wants to have the brands narrowed down soon because certain projects depend on the city's new brand.

Stinson recognizes the diversity of brands community members have to choose from, but she said allowing the community to help choose a single brand will create ownership.

"We're going to set the boards out in our building. We want as much community by (in) as possible," she said.

ODESSA, Texas (AP) — A West Texas man has been charged with impersonating an officer by using sirens and flashing lights to skip to the head of the drive-thru line at a fast-food restaurant. Full Story

Sufjan Stevens, "Carrie & Lowell" (Asthmatic Kitty) Plucked strings and pulsing keyboards dominate the distinctive arrangements on Sufjan Stevens' latest album, and in the absence of a rhythm section, they serve to keep time. Full Story